The Lancet study on deaths in Iraq was highly controversial, and attacked by many bloggers and analysts, including me here and here, for its deficiencies. A new study done by the WHO and the Iraqi Health Ministry (news report, journal article) now shows that post-invasion deaths, while still far too high, are much lower than the numbers bandied about by Lancet. The WHO study used a much larger sample, and also drew on other sources of information to check its conclusions. I haven’t had a chance to get into the nitty-gritty, but at first glance it seems like a better study.

(Hat Tip: Marginal Revolution.)